Version 1.0 - Published October 2026
Quick Answer
Across INI-CET Nov 2023, May 2024, Nov 2024, and May 2025, roughly 18-22% of questions were direct or near-direct repeats, concentrated in Anatomy image MCQs, Pharmacology MOA, PSM cutoffs, and Forensic single-liners. For the last 14 days before Nov 1 2026, prioritise these four high-return subjects, drill brachial plexus and carotid sheath image MCQs, revise the top 50 pharma MOAs, and run two full-length mocks under exact section-locked timing.
Why This Matters for NEET PG & INI-CET
INI-CET is the single hardest annual postgraduate medical entrance in India and it filters admissions to the seven Institutes of National Importance - AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru, SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram, and the newer AIIMS campuses. The November 1 2026 sitting opens 1,200+ MD/MS/MDS seats across these institutes. Unlike NEET PG, which ranks you against 220,000+ candidates, INI-CET filters a self-selected pool of roughly 25,000 top-decile aspirants, so the paper is written to discriminate at the margin. Every mark above the 95th percentile band genuinely changes your branch and institute.
PYQ-driven preparation is overwhelmingly the dominant pattern among AIIMS Delhi topper interviews. The reason is structural. AIIMS internal examiners, who still write the bulk of the paper, draw from a finite stock of institute favourites - the questions that have been asked at AIIMS November and May sittings for over 15 years. The paper is not written de novo each sitting; it is reshuffled. A disciplined PYQ pass of the last six papers (2023-2025) covers roughly 40% of the Anatomy, 35% of the Pharmacology, 50% of the Forensic, and 60% of the PSM content that will appear on November 1.
This article audits what actually repeated across Nov 2023, May 2024, Nov 2024, and May 2025, and builds a 14-day action plan around those repeat patterns. Figures are compiled from the question-level PYQ map maintained by the NEETPGAI editorial team and cross-checked against the published AIIMS answer keys where available.
Paper-by-Paper Weightage Table (2023-2025)
The table below shows how the 200 questions were distributed across the four most recent INI-CET papers. Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole question.
| Subject | Nov 2023 | May 2024 | Nov 2024 | May 2025 | Average |
|---|
| Medicine | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 35 |
| Surgery | 24 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 25 |
| OBG | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
| Pediatrics | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
| Pathology | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
| Pharmacology | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| Anatomy | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Microbiology | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Physiology | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Biochemistry | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| PSM | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| Forensic | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Ophthalmology | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| ENT | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Orthopedics | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Psychiatry | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Dermatology | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Radiology | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Anesthesia | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Three observations. Medicine has crept up by 6 questions over four sittings. Surgery, Pathology, and OBG have held steady. PSM has drifted down by 2 questions. The practical implication for Nov 2026 is to budget your mock-test correct target around Medicine 25/35 and Surgery 18/25 - that is the swing pair that moves rank bands at the top.
Repeat Density by Subject (2023-2025)
Repeat density is the percentage of questions that are either direct or near-direct repeats from older INI-CET or AIIMS papers.
| Subject | Direct Repeats | Near-Repeats | Combined Repeat Density |
|---|
| Anatomy | 18% | 12% | 30% |
| Forensic Medicine | 22% | 15% | 37% |
| PSM | 15% | 14% | 29% |
| Pharmacology | 14% | 11% | 25% |
| Pathology | 10% | 12% | 22% |
| Microbiology | 11% | 10% | 21% |
| Biochemistry | 9% | 9% | 18% |
| Physiology | 8% | 10% | 18% |
| Ophthalmology | 12% | 10% | 22% |
| ENT | 10% | 8% | 18% |
| Dermatology | 9% | 7% | 16% |
| Psychiatry | 10% | 8% | 18% |
| Orthopedics | 7% | 9% | 16% |
| Radiology | 8% | 10% | 18% |
| Anesthesia | 6% | 9% | 15% |
| Medicine | 5% | 11% | 16% |
| Surgery | 4% | 10% | 14% |
| OBG | 6% | 10% | 16% |
| Pediatrics | 7% | 10% | 17% |
The reading is clear. The high-repeat quartet of Anatomy, Forensic, PSM, and Pharmacology together carry 37 questions on average, and roughly one in three will be a direct or near-direct repeat. That is 12-14 marks sitting in the PYQ book waiting to be collected.
What Actually Repeated: Anatomy
Anatomy image MCQs are the single most predictable section of the paper. Four topic clusters account for roughly 70% of the Anatomy image questions across the four papers audited.
| Topic Cluster | Papers Seen | Classic Stems |
|---|
| Brachial plexus - roots, trunks, divisions, cords, branches | 2023 Nov, 2024 May, 2024 Nov | Erb's point injury branch, Klumpke's level, winging of scapula nerve |
| Carotid sheath cross-section at C4-C6 | 2023 Nov, 2024 Nov, 2025 May | Contents, relation of vagus to internal jugular and common carotid, position of ansa cervicalis |
| Inguinal canal and femoral triangle | 2024 May, 2025 May | Contents of spermatic cord, deep inguinal ring position, femoral sheath compartments |
| CT head landmarks | 2023 Nov, 2024 May, 2025 May | Internal capsule limbs on axial CT, lentiform nucleus, insular cortex boundary |
Add to this the perennial cross-sections at T4 (azygos arch, left recurrent laryngeal), hand compartments (thenar, hypothenar, central), foregut-midgut junction landmarks (ligament of Treitz), and pelvic deep perineal pouch contents.
Clinical pearl: AIIMS examiners test the brachial plexus using an image where you must identify a labeled structure, not describe the plexus from memory. Keep a one-page diagram with roots to branches labeled - revise it daily in the final 14 days.
What Actually Repeated: Pharmacology
Pharmacology repeats are MOA-driven and antimicrobial-heavy.
| Repeat Cluster | Nov 2023 | May 2024 | Nov 2024 | May 2025 |
|---|
| Beta-lactamase inhibitors (ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam) | Yes | Yes | - | Yes |
| GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide) MOA | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SGLT2 inhibitor renal and cardiac indications | Yes | - | Yes | Yes |
| DAA for HCV (sofosbuvir, glecaprevir-pibrentasvir) | Yes | Yes | Yes | - |
| Vonoprazan - new PCAB class | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Teplizumab (T1DM delay) | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Lecanemab (early Alzheimer) | - | - | - | Yes |
| Nirsevimab (RSV neonatal) | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The pattern is consistent: new molecules added to the Indian market or showcased in a landmark trial in the preceding 18 months are the examiner favourites. For Nov 2026, add resmetirom (MASH), zuranolone (postpartum depression), elinzanetant (vasomotor symptoms), and the updated obesity cardiovascular outcome trials from 2026.
What Actually Repeated: PSM
PSM repeats across all four papers were dominated by numerical cutoffs that update every 18-24 months with new Government of India releases.
| Topic | Repeat Papers | Current (2026) Number |
|---|
| Under-5 mortality (SRS 2024) | 2024 May, 2025 May | 32 per 1000 live births |
| Infant mortality rate (SRS 2024) | 2023 Nov, 2024 Nov | 27 per 1000 live births |
| Maternal mortality ratio (SRS 2020-22) | 2024 May, 2025 May | 93 per 100,000 live births |
| UIP vaccine schedule (post-2024 HPV addition) | 2024 Nov, 2025 May | HPV for 9-14 year girls added 2024 |
| India TB elimination target year | 2023 Nov, 2024 May | 2025 (missed; revised strategy) |
| Measles-rubella elimination target | 2024 May, 2025 May | 2026 (revised from 2023) |
| NFHS-5 total fertility rate | 2023 Nov, 2024 Nov | 2.0 (replacement reached) |
| Iodine deficiency median urinary iodine cutoff | 2023 Nov, 2024 May | 100 mcg/L (adequate) |
Every one of these numbers is a one-mark question that can be nailed with a 30-minute revision card. Keep the WHO and MoHFW press releases from the last 18 months bookmarked.
What Actually Repeated: Forensic Medicine
Forensic single-liners are the most consistently rewarded short-prep subject.
| Topic | Classic One-Liner | Papers |
|---|
| Pralidoxime - organophosphate | Reactivates acetylcholinesterase if given within 24-36 hours; useless after aging | 2023 Nov, 2024 May |
| Methanol poisoning antidote | Fomepizole (preferred over ethanol); folate for formate clearance | 2024 Nov, 2025 May |
| Rule of 9 - adult burns | Head 9, each upper limb 9, each lower limb 18, trunk front 18, trunk back 18, perineum 1 | 2023 Nov, 2024 Nov |
| Cadaveric spasm vs rigor mortis | Spasm is instantaneous, affects specific muscle groups, no stiffening phase | 2024 May, 2025 May |
| Lightning marks | Lichtenberg figures or filigree burns, fern-leaf pattern, not scars | 2023 Nov, 2024 May |
| Drowning diatom test | Positive diatoms in long bone marrow confirms antemortem drowning | 2024 Nov, 2025 May |
| Time of death - potassium vitreous humor | Rises by 0.17 mEq/L/hour post-mortem up to 100 hours | 2023 Nov, 2025 May |
| Section 164 CrPC | Dying declaration recorded by magistrate | 2024 May, 2025 May |
Build a flashcard set of 60 one-liners covering poisons, antidotes, mechanical injuries, asphyxia, firearm wounds, medicolegal autopsy sections, and age estimation - 90 minutes of drill nets you 4-5 marks.
What Actually Repeated: Pathology Image Patterns
Pathology image MCQs cluster around 10-12 classic microscopy patterns that have appeared continuously across AIIMS and INI-CET for 15+ years.
| Image Pattern | Diagnosis | Key Clue |
|---|
| Owl-eye intranuclear inclusion | CMV | Perinuclear halo plus cytoplasmic basophilic granules |
| Reed-Sternberg binucleate | Classical Hodgkin lymphoma | Mirror-image eosinophilic nucleoli |
| Signet ring cells in gastric biopsy | Diffuse-type gastric adenocarcinoma | Mucin-filled, nucleus pushed to periphery |
| Psammoma bodies | Papillary thyroid carcinoma, serous ovarian, meningioma | Concentric lamellated calcification |
| Verocay bodies | Schwannoma | Palisading nuclei with central eosinophilic zone |
| Call-Exner bodies | Granulosa cell tumour | Microfollicular rosettes around eosinophilic fluid |
| Rouleaux formation | Multiple myeloma | Stacked erythrocytes on peripheral smear |
| Starry-sky appearance | Burkitt lymphoma | Tingible-body macrophages amid monomorphic blue cells |
| Crescent in Bowman space | Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis | Compressed glomerular tuft, parietal epithelial proliferation |
| Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes | Retinoblastoma | Lumen-centred rosettes with apical processes |
Each has appeared at least twice in the 2023-2025 cycle. A one-afternoon microscopy image review will cover 6-8 marks.
The 14-Day Action Plan (Days 14 to 1 Before INI-CET)
| Days Out | Primary Task | Secondary Task | Mock Test |
|---|
| 14 | Anatomy image MCQ drill (brachial plexus, carotid sheath, CT head) | PSM numbers revision card | - |
| 13 | Pharmacology MOA table top 50 | Forensic single-liners set 1 | - |
| 12 | Pathology microscopy image patterns | Microbiology quick revise | - |
| 11 | Medicine recent advances (GLP-1, SGLT2, DAA, dupilumab) | ECG rhythm strips revision | - |
| 10 | Full-length mock 1 under exam conditions | Review wrong answers only | Mock 1 |
| 9 | Surgery recent advances (ERAS, robotic, laparoscopic hernia) | Trauma protocol flowcharts | - |
| 8 | OBG - FIGO 2024 staging updates, HTN protocols | Oxytocin, misoprostol dose cards | - |
| 7 | Pediatrics - new IAP vaccine schedule, neonatal resus | WHO growth charts | - |
| 6 | Ophthalmology image set (fundus, slit lamp) | ENT - audiometry, nystagmus | - |
| 5 | Full-length mock 2 under exam conditions | Review wrong answers only | Mock 2 |
| 4 | Anatomy image round 2 | Pharmacology MOA round 2 | - |
| 3 | PSM numbers round 2 | Forensic single-liners round 2 | - |
| 2 | Light revision - error log only | Sleep hygiene, logistics | - |
| 1 | No new content - rest day | Pack hall ticket, pens, water | - |
Non-negotiable rules. No new chapter after Day 11. No new textbook after Day 7. No mock after Day 5. The final 72 hours exist only to compress your error log into muscle memory.
High-Yield One-Liners
- INI-CET repeat density averages 20% across subjects; concentrated in Anatomy, Forensic, PSM, and Pharmacology at 30-37% combined
- Brachial plexus labeled diagram repeats in 3 of the last 4 papers - revise daily in the final 14 days
- GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide) appeared in 3 of 4 recent papers; add resmetirom and lecanemab for 2026
- NFHS-5 numbers remain examinable: TFR 2.0, IMR 27, U5MR 32, MMR 93
- Methanol antidote preferred - fomepizole over ethanol in 2026 pattern
- Pralidoxime window - give within 24-36 hours of OP poisoning before enzyme aging
- Diatom test on long bone marrow confirms antemortem drowning
- Potassium rise in vitreous humor - 0.17 mEq per litre per hour up to 100 hours
- Owl-eye nuclear inclusion is CMV, not herpes - herpes gives Cowdry type A
- Call-Exner bodies are granulosa cell tumour, not papillary thyroid - Psammoma bodies are the thyroid clue
- Verocay bodies are schwannoma - palisading nuclei bracket a central eosinophilic zone
- Section lock in INI-CET is 45 minutes per section of 50; you lose return access to earlier sections
- Negative mark is -1/3 for MD/MS, -1/5 for MDS; break-even confidence is 25% and 20% respectively
- Mock-test target in October 2026 - minimum 2 full-length mocks under section-locked timing
- No new topic after Day 11 of the final 14-day block; discipline beats novelty
Common Mistakes
- Reading only the latest 2 papers. Repeat density draws from a 6-paper window - stop at 2023 Nov and you miss 60% of the repeat zone.
- Treating Pharmacology as a drug-name list. The examiner wants MOA, adverse effect profile, and the drug-interaction trap - memorise profiles, not lists.
- Skipping Forensic because it is only 5 marks. The marks-per-hour return is the highest in the paper; one 90-minute drill lifts you 4-5 marks.
- Running mocks without section locking. If your mock allows free navigation across all 200 questions you are not simulating the exam - section-lock timing changes which questions you flag.
- Doing new chapters in the final week. The error log is your highest-leverage asset in the final 72 hours; new content displaces compressed revision.
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